The past 48 hours of big Syria news, explained

Syria used chemical weapons against its own citizens, killing at least 42 adults and children. President Donald Trump threatened a military response in a tweet, vowing that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad would pay a “big price.” Israeli jets bombed a Syrian government base in northern Homs province for reasons that still are not yet fully clear.

And all of that took place over just 48 hours. And an American strike — Trump’s “big price” — could still be forthcoming.

New National Security Adviser John Bolton, a well-known uberhawk, started his job on Monday morning just before an 11:30 am Cabinet meeting. President Trump has vowed to make a decision on whether to use force in the next 24 to 48 hours, even calling out Russian President Vladimir Putin by name for his support of Assad. Bolton could be a strong and powerful voice advocating for a US strike.

So there is a lot going on, even by the standards of the exceptionally complicated Syrian conflict. What follows is a guide to what happened this weekend, why the events are so important, and, most importantly, the scary things that could happen next.

Read the full article at Vox